Thailand pleased with human rights development in Myanmar

BANGKOK, February 15 (TNA) - Thailand is pleased with human rights development in Myanmar, as Myanmar's human rights head, who is paying a three-day official visit to Bangkok from February 12-15 as a guest of the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has said he will apply his human right findings in Thailand to his home country. Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow told journalists Wednesday that he and the visiting chairman of Myanmar’s National Human Rights Commission, Win Mra, and another Myanmar Human Rights Commissioner Yoon Shwe, exchanged opinions on the political development in Myanmar and the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission's roles and responsibilities. Sihasak insisted that Thailand is pleased with the positive and rapid human rights development in Myanmar and will continue to support the work of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission. Regarding to a Thai government plan to close Myanmar refugee camps in Thailand, Sihasak acknowledged that the Myanmar refugees would receive vocational training; so, they would not have to return to Thailand again. Meanwhile, Win Mra said that he had not been aware of Thailand’s plan to close nine Myanmar refugee camps and repatriate 140 Myanmar refugees in details, but his panel would take urgent action in line with the Thai government's move. Win Mra noted that he had learned the work of Thailand's National Human Rights Commission, and that many human rights issues in Myanmar need to be addressed immediately, including seizures of people's plots of land, corruption among government officials and people’s insufficient access to health services. According to the Myanmar human rights head, there are some 128 political prisoners in Myanmar, where it remains difficult to distinguish political prisoners from criminal ones. (TNA)